I have a 01’ Chevy Trailblazer 4X4. When I go to make a sharp turn or when backing out of a parking spot I hear a clunk towards the front passenger side wheel. This clunking sound also occurs when I make a hard stop. During this instance I feel a slight shift in the wheel that pulls to the right along with the clunking sound. What is going on here and what can I do to fix it on my own? I recently had the tires replaced but made sure all the lug nuts were nice and tight.
The noise might be coming from a worn lower ball joint.
To find out, place a floor jack under the control arm of the lower ball joint to be inspected. Jack up the vehicle so that tire is off the ground 4"-6". Take a 4’-5’ long pry bar or 2X4 and place one end under the tire. Now pry up and down on the tire while observing the ball joint. If the ball joint is worn, you’ll see it move up and down in it’s socket.
Tester
check the sway bar links. It’s a common promblem.